Posted on 06/02/2003 6:26:17 PM PDT by brewer1516
Monday, June 02, 2003
Shelby County advantages begin to sway trapshooters
By JOHN WALKER jwalker@shelbynews
Shelby County will be the new home of the Amateur Trapshooting Association if the current leader of the world’s largest trapshooting organization has his way.
And the large majority of the ATA’s members seem to share that opinion, based on a survey recently completed by the group.
The ATA must move from its current headquarters in Vandalia, Ohio, due to the expansion of a nearby airport, and time is getting short.
“It is expected, as Dayton Airport officials have forewarned us, that after August 2005, we will not be able to hold the Grand American as it is presently configured,” ATA president Thomas Acklin said in his May “President’s Column” posted on the group’s Web site, www.shootata.com.
The Grand American World Trapshooting Championships is the ATA’s premier annual shooting event. Held for about nine days each August, “the Grand” draws thousands of participants and spectators and brings millions of dollars to the local economy.
Acklin will present the pros and cons of possible new sites to the ATA’s board of directors on Aug. 11 during this year’s Grand American in Vandalia.
“I will be doing the presentation in favor of Shelbyville,” he said.
Delegates from each state at the group’s annual meeting are expected to vote on a new site during this year’s Grand.
Financial issues
Located east of the intersection of State Road 9 and County Road 750 North near Shelby Materials, the local site includes several separately owned tracts totaling about 1,300 acres. The price is about $4 million, according to the ATA Web site.
The problem is making the local site work financially for the ATA, said Acklin.
Local officials have put together a package of possible financial assistance totaling $5 million, according to the Web site.
However, Acklin hopes Indiana state officials will step up with some financial assistance.
Dan Theobald, executive director of the Shelby County Development Corp., said the Indiana Department of Commerce has been unable to help because its money is tied to the creation of a significant number of new jobs, which the ATA relocation would not do. However, the state has offered financial support.
“The DNR (Department of Natural Resources) already pledged some dollars to this,” he said.
That commitment is $100,000 annually from a special DNR fund that comes from fees paid for hunting and fishing licenses, Theobald said.
The county has set aside $125,000 in annual Economic Development Income Tax funds for the ATA, but has not yet actually voted to spend the money. The city of Shelbyville has not included the ATA in its EDIT plan, though it has been discussed among city officials, according to Rod Meyerholtz, clerk-treasurer of Shelbyville.
Theobald said there would probably have to be tax abatement and a Tax Increment Finance district created for the development.
The ATA is not asking for a free ride, Acklin said.
“We’re willing to service a little debt,” he said.
What the ATA’s members apparently aren’t willing to do is venture too far from their current home.
Survey says
A recent survey of ATA members seems to support Acklin’s opinion that Shelby County is the best choice for the new headquarters.
Shelby County was one of three finalists when the group originally voted in August 2001 to go to a site near Sparta, Illinois. But complications arose with that location, and the ATA resumed its search. The top contenders now listed on the ATA’s Web site are Shelby County, Las Vegas and Sparta.
Recently the ATA sent a seven-question survey to 20,000 of its members. Nearly 4,800 replied, a 24 percent response rate.
ATA members in the U.S. live in one of five zones designated by the group: Eastern, Southern, Central, Southwestern and Western. By far the largest number of survey responses, 2,094, came from the Central Zone which includes the states of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.
The Central Zone also contains by far the largest number of active ATA members — 12,331 or 36 percent of the group’s 34,271 active members.
The Eastern Zone, which includes the six New England states plus Delaware, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, contains the second-highest number of active members, 7,178, or 21 percent.
Of the survey respondents, 2,435 said they attend the Grand American every year. The vast majority of the annual attendees, 1,390 or 57 percent, live in the Central Zone. The next-largest group which attends every year, 527 or 22 percent, comes from the Eastern Zone.
Question four in the survey asked, “If the Grand moves to a location that is further away from you, how would it affect your attendance?”
Of the 1,821 total respondents from the Central Zone, 75 percent said they would attend less often or not at all. Of the 906 members who responded from the Eastern Zone, 83 percent said they’d go less often or not at all.
Perhaps the most telling question in the survey asked the respondents to rank the important factors in choosing a new location.
The largest majority named “pro-gun state” as their top choice. One issue with the site in Sparta has been Illinois’ restrictive gun laws, although state officials have reportedly been working to change them.
“Proximity to current location” was the second most important factor in picking a new location, followed by “land ownership vs. lease” and “proximity to amenities.”
The ATA would not own the site in either Sparta or Las Vegas. Both of those locations are further away from the ATA’s current home than Shelby County, and Sparta is not near any major city, all important factors to the members, according to the survey.
Acklin believes the survey clearly points to Shelby County as the best location.
“I would agree wholeheartedly,” he said.
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As reported in the article above, the Amateur Trapshooting Association must relocate and one of the locations under serious consideration is my beloved Shelby County Indiana.
I'm sure there are trapshooters out there in Freeperville and any support you could muster would be greatly appreciated.
I can't stress enough how much this move would impact the local economy (think of the children!) and knowing local support for this kind of activity (read 1st amendment rights) the ATA would be a great fit in the community.
So, if you're a member of the ATA and are willing to have your voice heard on this issue, please support the move to Shelby County Indiana.
Heck, if you are an ATA member and a Freeper, and the ATA comes to town, I'll have you over for a BBQ! (this offer limited to the first 500 Freepers).
No, there isn't an Indiana ping list, as far as I know. We probably ought to make one, especially with the governor's race coming up, which should prove to be quite interesting.
I meet the requirements, and I like my steak rare.. :)
The Grand American having to move, is so heartbreaking for so many that attend. They have been in the same location for over 80 years.
The Cities of Vandalia, Dayton, and surrounding communites will feel the ecomonic impact. With Governor Taft's anti-gun sentiment, it is not surprising that he would let the event move out of Ohio.
I live in Northeast Ohio, and it is a long drive for me to Vandalia, so 90 mins more won't matter much.
I wish you luck, in enticing the ATA to move to Shelbyville. The membership is really against Ill. because of the gun laws.
The article you posted is on the Trapshooters.com discussion site
Check under the "Relocation thread".
Might be seeing you in 2006!
I'm glad you made it to the Grand. It is something to see.
Stay Safe !
5106080 - GRAVESTOCK LARRY - CA
Membership Paid: YES
Handicap
Yards 27
Lifetime
Doubles 36600
Handicap 68900
16 Yards 74000
CHAMPION YEAR EVENT CITY STATE SCORE
Larry Gravestock 1967 HOA Wichita Falls TX 976
Larry Gravestock 1970 HOA Wichita Falls TX 976
Larry Gravestock 1971 DBLS Wichita Falls TX 99
Larry Gravestock 1973 HOA Wichita Falls TX 958
Looks like your Uncle Larry was quite a shooter.
Thanks for looking that up for me......Stay Safe !
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